02 May, 2012

There was once a boy who was very
rich and clever. He had practically everything a boy could ever want, so he was
only interested in the most rare and curious of objects. This happened to him
in relation to a very old mirror, and he convinced his parents to buy it from a
mysterious old man. When the mirror arrived home, the boy went to see his
reflection in it. His face looked very sad indeed. He tried smiling and making
funny faces, but his reflection continued with its sad expression.

Surprised, the boy went off to
buy sweets. He came home as happy as can be, to look in the mirror, but his
image was still sad-looking. He bought all kinds of toys and old junk, but
forever looked sad in that mirror. Fed up, the boy stuck the mirror off in a
corner.

"Crikey, what a terrible
mirror! It's the first time I've seen a mirror that didn't work properly!"

That same afternoon he went into
the street to play and to buy a few toys, but on his way to the park he saw a
little boy who was crying his heart out. The boy was crying so much, and looked
so lonely, that the rich boy went over to help him and to see what had
happened. The little one told him that he had lost his parents.

Together the two boys set off in
search of them. As the little boy wouldn't stop crying, our boy spent his money
on buying him sweets to cheer him up. Finally, after much walking, they found
his parents who were out looking for him, very worried.

The rich boy said goodbye, and walked
off towards the park. But, seeing the time, he decided to turn round and head
for home, without having been able to play, without toys, and without money. At
home, he went to his room, and noticed a shining light in the corner; the same
corner he had left the mirror in. Seeing this, he went over to the mirror, and
realised that the light was coming from his own body, so radiant with happiness
he had become.

And so he understood the mystery
of that mirror, the only mirror which could faithfully reflect the true joy of
its owner. He realised it was true; he felt genuinely happy at having helped
that little boy.

And since then, each morning when
he looked in that mirror and failed to see a special shine, he already knew
what he had to do to bring it back.